Sharjah, UAE (May 16,2018)--Continuing its tradition of celebrating the spirit of dialogue and tolerance during the holy month of Ramadan, Sharjah will once again host its popular series of Ramadan Majlis sessions at the iconic Al Majaz Amphitheatre from Sunday, May 20 to Sunday, June 3. Hosted by Sharjah Press Club of Sharjah Government Media Bureau in partnership with Sharjah Media Corporation, the seven Ramadan Majlis sessions will once again see top UAE officials, media experts, scholars, social media influencers, entertainers and sportspersons come together, promising intellectually stimulating debates and freewheeling exchange of views.

Announcing the details, Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of Sharjah Media Council said, the Sharjah Ramadan Majlis, which is held annually, continues its quest of spreading knowledge and discussing various societal issues in the spirit of promoting constructive dialogue during the holy month.

Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi lauded the growing community participation in the Majlis, which has been attracting considerable attention from people across the UAE and the region beyond, thanks to its intellectual contribution and achievements it has registered in line with Sharjah’s vision of promoting dialogue, tolerance and love.

The Chairman of the Sharjah Media Council stressed that the Majlis complements the vision of media institutions in the Emirate to address a wide variety of issues that concern society members and has become a landmark event on Sharjah’s calendar.

Work Ethics in Publishing

The Sharjah Ramadan Majlis this year opens with the session titled ‘Work Ethics in Publishing’ (Sunday, May 20) and will tackle the emerging challenges, opportunities and concerns of the publishing industry in the UAE, which has witnessed rapid transformation in the past few years. Moderated by popular television host Safia Al Shehi, the session will feature Rashid Al Kous, Executive Director of Emirates Publishers Association, Tamer Said, General Manager of Kalimat Group and Mohammed bin Dakhin, General Manager of Dal Al-Takhil for Publishing and Distribution.

Inshad: Influence and Art

The second session titled ‘Inshad: Influence and Art’ on Monday (May 21) is a tribute to the unique Arab and Islamic tradition of celebrating the love of Allah, Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, and other prophets and messengers of God. The art of Inshad has evolved over the past 15 centuries throughout the Arab and Islamic world. While the art of Inshad has always had dedicated followers and practitioners across the Islamic world throughout the ages, with the recent popularity of music and new media more and more people are taking to Inshad.

While HE Hassan Yaqoub Al Mansouri, Secretary General of Sharjah Media Council and popular television host, will moderate the session, popular Emirati munshid (singer) Ahmed Bou Khater, Moroccan munshid Yassine Lachhab and munshid Mahmoud Al-Tohamy will take part in the session that will explore the history and contemporary trends of Inshad in the Arab and Islamic world.

Exploring Cultures Around the world

The ‘Cultural Session: Exploring Cultures Around the World’ on Wednesday, May 23, will shine the light on how journeys have become an effective tool among young generations to explore different cultures and peoples around the world, helping build bridges. These cultural journeys have been an important tool in the embodiment of literary events and historical narratives of cultures and personalities.

The Community Session, being held on Sunday, May 27, is dedicated to the leadership vision and contribution of the UAE’s founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Celebrating 2018 as the Year of Zayed, the special session will be moderated by Sheikha Al-Mutairi, renowned Emirati poet and television personality, and will see the participation of HE Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh, UAE Minister of State, Dr Mohammed Saeed Al-Qudsi, media personality and HE Ahmed Al-Jarwan, President of the World Council for Tolerance and Peace. As the nation celebrates 100 years of Sheikh Zayed, eminent experts like Nusseibeh who viewed his leadership qualities from close quarters will examine the enduring legacy of the great architect of the UAE and how his vision could guide the UAE and the region into the future.

Oscars and the Future of Arab Cinema

The Art session on Monday, May 28 will explore the contemporary Arab cinema and its prospects and challenges vis-à-vis world cinema. While every year filmmakers from around the world compete for the Oscars, the ultimate recognition in the world of cinema and performing arts, Arab filmmakers have largely been limited to the nomination stage. Top Arab actors, filmmakers and experts will brainstorm over the challenges facing the Arab cinema today led by eminent Emirati media personality Reem Saif (moderator), award-winning Emirati actor and director Abdullah al-Junaibi, popular Egyptian actor Maged El Masry and Iraqi actor Hassan Mutlaq.

Arab Women Sports and Global Aspirations

The Sports Session, to be held on Wednesday, May 30, is dedicated to Arab women in sports and their global aspirations. The session will discuss the sports achievements of Arab women and their impact on society, their ability to compete globally, and awareness about the importance of women's sports. Moderated by media personality Ahmed Sultan, the session will feature Sheikha Shamsa bint Hashar Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Women's Committee and Board Member of the UAE Volleyball Association, HE Nada Askar, Director General of Sharjah Women's Sports Foundation, Dr Mai Ahmed Al Jaber, Board Member of the General Sport Authority and Member of the Executive Office of the UAE National Olympics Committee and Sahar Al Obad, Chairperson of the Emirates Volunteer Society and Member of the UAE Athletics Federation.

Youtubers…Influence and Creativity

The Entertainment session, on Sunday June 3, is dedicated to the new generation of Youtubers and their immense creativity potential. Using innovative templates and themes that touch the lives of the new generation, and with programmes that offer unconventional ideas, social media stars on the YouTube with their unique content have been attracted a lot of attention and admiration from their followers and have reached a broad-based audience. The session will examine the impact of the new social media stars and their content and the reasons for their growing popularity.

The impact of the content provided by these stars is a topic that is being addressed in this session with a search for the causes of their rapid spread and the impact of their content on society. Moderated by Mohammed Al Mannai, media personality, the Entertainment session will feature representation by Omar Farooq, Rajae Qawas and Abdul Majeed Al Mutwee, all prominent Youtubers and makers of short films.